Happy Birthday to our Sweet Friend:
🥳 Alex 1/3 - Favorite Movie: Dumb and Dumber
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Here’s what we have for you this week:
Concession Stand Scorecard: Primate
Watchlist Worthy: Robin Hood having an existential crisis
New Pod Drop: The boys are back together for Timmy C & the Golden Globes
This week’s movie - Primate
Letterboxd Description:
Something’s wrong with Ben.
Home from college, Lucy reunites with family including pet chimp Ben. Ben contracts rabies during a pool party and turns aggressive. Lucy and friends barricade in pool, devising ways to survive the vicious chimp.
Best Watched With
non-pet owners and people who avoid vacationing.
End Credit Thoughts
We have back-to-back weeks with a tight 90-minute runtime, and this one packs a gory punch. A creature feature meets Scream, Primate blends slasher movies with a rogue animal on a rampage, terrorizing and hunting down those trapped in a luxury Hawaiian cliffside home. The plot is simple, but survival is anything but that.
The fun aspect of this movie is that Ben, the pet chimp, doesn’t go on a violent frenzy for some unbelievable reason. He contracts rabies, which makes him not himself, an understandable reason to turn against his loving human family. The movie sets you up to be emotionally connected to the attacker and the attacked, creating a conflicted tension for the characters and the audience.
Primarily set in a stunning home somewhere on a gorgeous Hawaiian cliff, the beautiful landscape and architecture, juxtaposed [just for you, Drew] with brutal and bloody, make for a tormented watch. It draws you in and catches you off guard, making the jump scares more intense and the gore too close for comfort. Relying heavily on practical effects gives the film an old-school feel, reminiscent of the slasher films that came before. Not for the queasy, and be prepared for intense imagery of brute violence and a sickening sound design.
The lead, Jonny Sequoyah (Lucy), who does well as the prodigal daughter who’s been away longer than her sister and father would like. In real life, Troy Kotsur has been deaf since birth and portrays the father. He brings a loving warmth that is greatly appreciated in such a dark and cold plot. Everyone does a good job in their roles, but it’s not surprising that it’s Miguel Torres Umba as Ben the chimp who stands out amongst the crew. Umba gives a dynamic and horrifying performance with such sinister movement.
The story may not be profound, but it’s pretty damn fun, and some of the imagery is still burned into our minds. You’ll still have to suspend some disbelief, but riding this horror wave for what it is paid off. We don’t get too many short, small-plot horror movies these days. It seems elevated horror has taken center stage. Nothing wrong with that, we love a good head scratcher that gets the brain gears gearing. But an enjoyable fright where we can take off the thinking cap and only worry about what the hell they are going to do next is appreciated.
Fans of the genre will want to see this on the big screen to appreciate the practical effects up close and hear the sounds of terror and trembling loud and clear. For everyone else, you can really enjoy this in the discomfort of your own home, preferably at night. Maybe on a floatie in a pool with it projected on a wall. Or if you have access to a giant, lovely glass home on the beautiful Hawaiian islands, you may want to hold out for an immersive experience.
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The Death of Robin Hood by Michael Sarnoski
An A24 Robin Hood movie?! Are you joking?! Sold, sat, seated, take my money. Well, I’m an A24 member and they give me a free ticket to every A24 movie. I’m also an AMC A-List member and can see four movies a week. So, technically they won’t be taking my money. I would though if I wasn’t either members. Anyway. I digress.
Hugh Jackman, Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgård, and Noah Jupe?! A dark and different take on the man in tights with a stacked cast is Josh catnip.
Hyped for this one.
-jp :)
Letterboxd Description:
He was no hero.
Grappling with his past after a life of crime and murder, Robin Hood finds himself gravely injured after a battle he thought would be his last. In the hands of a mysterious woman, he is offered a chance at salvation.
Movies Directed by Michael Sarnoski:
A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)
Pig (2021)
Marty Supreme: Spoilers #67
🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube
New Mexico Drew returns from the wilderness (and a year-long hiatus) to join Josh and Eric for a chaotic deep dive into Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme.
The boys are breaking down the electric world of professional ping pong, the unique 1950s-meets-1980s aesthetic, and why Timothée Chalamet might just be playing himself.
They discuss the standout supporting cast—from Kevin O’Leary (yes, Mr. Wonderful) to Tyler, the Creator—and debate whether the film lands in their top movies of the year. Spoilers ahead!
2025 Wrap-Up & Golden Globes Nominations #68
🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube
Josh, Eric, and New Mexico Drew break down the best movies of 2025, from the “dog water” disappointment of Guillermo del Toro’s latest to the cinematic masterpiece that is Sinners.
They debate the Golden Globe nominations, argue over whether Timothée Chalamet or Leonardo DiCaprio deserves Best Actor, and Drew tries to survive Eric’s internet connection issues. Plus, they give their final top 10 lists for the year and discuss the TV shows that took over their lives.
Tune in next week for | 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
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